


Love Like You

by queenofpranking



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Angst, Della is a bit possessive in this, Gen, No shipping, Platonic Soulmates, Swearing, THIS IS A COUPLE OF COUSINS RECONNECTING, There is NO intentionally bashing in this fic, but I don't hate her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 4,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27189817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenofpranking/pseuds/queenofpranking
Summary: While on an adventure, Donald and Gladstone get hit with a spell that makes them spill their feelings for each other.((DO N O T, FOR THE LOVE OF G O D, THINK OF THIS AS A SHIP!!!! THIS IS JUST A COUPLE OF COUSINS RECONNECTING))Everything after Chapter 2 is happening simultaneously to the events in Chapter 2.
Relationships: Della Duck & Fethry Duck & Gladstone Gander & Scrooge McDuck, Dewey Duck & Huey Duck & Louie Duck & Lena & Webby Vanderquack, Donald Duck & Gladstone Gander, Donald Duck & Scrooge McDuck
Comments: 5
Kudos: 61





	1. Louie's POV

**Author's Note:**

> Hi to my Discord!

Louie’s POV

It’s _all his fault_ . If he hadn’t-UGH, if he hadn’t of tripped and ~~broke his leg~~ twisted his ankle ( _only_ twisted his ankle, he tells himself, no looking down at the white piece of _something_ sticking out of his leg) while running from the stupid sorcerer that was chasing them, then none of this would’ve happened. He wouldn’t have been on the ground, scared half to death, he wouldn’t have had the sorcerer look him with an evil grin, magic charging up, and he wouldn’t have watched both of his uncles (the one he’s destined to turn out like, Gladstone, and the one he adores, Uncle Donald) take a magically charged hit for him.

Fuck, he’s such a screwup.


	2. 3rd POV

Third Party POV

“Ha! This will be better than I thought!” The sorcerer cackled, looking down at the two fallen ducks, stepping back as the rest of the group crashed into the clearing. “See, that spell I used would’ve made you unable to speak unless in song to anyone! But since both of these fools got hit, they can only speak once they talk out any bad feelings they may have for each other! And the best part!? They won’t be able to lie! All of it will be the absolute truth!” The sorcerer gleefully explained, making everyone gasp.

Donald sits up, holding his chest, as Gladstone does the same, holding his throat. The two scowl at the sorcerer and open their mouths to try and talk, not believing the man, only for nothing to come out.

“Well?” The sorcerer said, looking at them expectantly. “Sing!”

The two look at each other in contempt, then get up and walk away from each other, Donald with Louie in his arms, the two ducks refusing to look at the other.

Donald then opens his mouth.

“If I could begin to be, half of what you think of me, I could do about anything...I could even learn how to love…” His voice was deep and smooth, surprising Louie, who looked up at his uncle in awe. 

Gladstone’s mouth then opened without his permission. “When I see the way you act, wondering when I'm coming back, I could do about anything…I could even learn how to love like you.” His voice was higher, but still very pretty.

“Love like you” Donald echoed unwittingly.

Then the two sang in harmony, “I always thought I might be bad, now I'm sure that it's true! Cause I think you're so good, and I'm nothing like you. Look at you go, I just adore you, I wish that I knew…What makes you think I'm so special…”

They look at each other in surprise, not believing the other means what they say. But then they remember. They  _ can’t _ lie.

They give each other a melancholy smile, and Donald hands Louie over to Scrooge, before meeting his cousin in the middle of the clearing. They grab each other’s hands and slowly glide around in a big circle, dancing to their song they sing. 

“If I could begin to do, something that does right by you, I would do about anything…I would even learn how to love…When I see the way you look, shaken by how long it took, I could do about anything, I could even learn how to love like you.” They slow down, and Donald puts a hand on Gladstone’s cheek, rubbing a thumb under his eye, as the two tear up, having missed their favorite cousin. They sang two more lines. “Love like you. Love me like you…” Then, they bursted into tears.

As soon as their voices came back, Donald said in his usual rasp, “I missed you Glads.”

Gladstone beamed and leaned his head on his cousin’s-no, his  _ brother’s _ shoulder. “I missed you too, Don.”


	3. Scrooge's POV

Scrooge’s POV

As Scrooge watched two of his nephews finally,  _ finally _ talk, he’s  _ devastated _ . How could he not  _ realize _ !? How did he not notice that Donald and Gladstone  _ feel _ like this!? But wait-he thinks back in horro. He did notice. Oh no, he  _ did _ notice. He noticed every time the two got into fights. He noticed every time the two saved each other during adventures, even when mad at each other. He noticed when their fights got worse, and when they started saying mean things to each other instead of their usual banter. He even noticed when they stopped saving each other on adventures-mostly because he ended up doing the saving. He noticed every. Single. Time. 

But, he did nothing. He decided that the next adventure is more important than the feelings and the well-being of their relationship. He-he- _ fuck _ , he was a  _ monster _ .

How could he sit there and watch the two and their relationship deteriorate until they hated each other-the same boys who used to go in matching Halloween costumes more than Della and Donald did.

The same boys who were each other's pillar of safety and security until they were 13. 

The same boys who would cuddle each other after nightmares of their parent's deaths. 

The same-Scrooge chokes on a sob. He had watched a perfect relationship turn into something horrid, and sad, and disgusting. And he did nothing. He stood by, knowing what he was doing was wrong, and did it anyways. He really  _ is _ a monster.


	4. Della's POV

Della’s POV

Della was...upset, in a way. Why, why, _why_ were the two of them fixing everything _now_ !? Why couldn't they do that _before_!? Why-why are they reconciling now, right in front of her?? To make her jealous? But why?

She took a deep breath. This isn't about her. This about her brother (her twin, her built-in best friend, _her Donald_ ) and her cousin (the lucky one, the one gets everything handed to him on a silver platter, the one who stole her Donald, _Donald's Gladstone_ ) getting to talk out their issues. (The ones she put there to try to get her Donald back, they lies she spread, the ones she regretted later, but she's _Della Duck_ she can't go back and tell them she told them _lies_ ) (Especially since that would mean that she'd have to admit that _she_ was the one to tell the bullies at school about Donald's insecurities about his voice. She doesn't know how she would be if he found out. He'd _hate_ her.)

She stood there and watched in envy as the bridge she (regrets) burned starts to mend itself right before her very eyes, and she...got worried. A mean little voice in her head started to talk-the one that started the journey of their hatred of each other (a fake hatred) by her hands. _They'll be closer than ever. He'll forget about you. They might become the kid's favorites, and the kids will forget about you as well. No. One. Will. Remember. Della. Duck._

She tried to talk back to the voice. 'Donald would never do that to me. He's my best friend. My brother!'

 _Is he?_ The voice sneered. _Why wouldn't he? It's not like_ Gladstone _isn't the one that hopped into a rocket and left his eggs behind for Donald to take care of. No no no, that was_ You.

Della screamed mentally. The voice was making sense. But she can't break them apart _again_.

At least...not yet.

Yeah, yes, she has an idea. Do the same thing she did last time, but subtler. The two of them are smarter now, so she has to be careful.

Soon though, she'll have just her boys, her Uncle Scrooge, and _her_ Donald (not Gladstone's, _never Gladstone's,_ the little voice seemed to sneer) and herself.

And they'll be happy.

And Gladstone will be a far away thought in Donald's mind.

…Hopefully.


	5. Fethry's POV

Fethry’s POV

Fethry remembers moving into Uncle Scrooge’s manor, soon after the other three did. The four of them got along great, but Gladstone and Donald latched onto each other.

Looking back, he wonders if it’s because the two of them could subconsciously tell that the other was the other side of the luck coin that they’ve been missing.

But at the time, Fethry remembers hanging out with Della a lot due to the other two doing other things without them, like working on the garden out back for Gladstone, or sneaking out onto the roof to look at the constellations for Donald, or baking cookies together. The two were  _ inseparable _ .

Until one day, when it seemed like Della finally snapped.

Fethry remembers walking in from hanging out with Gladstone to hear Donald go, “He did  _ WHAT _ !?” and running over to the doorway, to see Della pulling her brother into a hug as he sobbed a bit, asking her, “Why would he say that? I thought I could trust him with my insecurities. He  _ knows _ how I feel about my voice, why would he tell them that?”

As she looked up and caught Fethry’s, she glowered and held a finger to her mouth, then a cut above the back of Donald’s neck, sending one  _ very clear message. _ ‘If you snitch on me, you’re dead.’

Fethry still does not sleep well at night on days where he reminisces on those days.


	6. Webby's POV

Webby’s POV

Webby isn’t feeling too good, watching the two cousins dance and sing. Why do the two of them remind her of something? And what is it?

She can’t place it at first, but then, as they start to dance, it strikes her like lightning.

They remind her of herself and Lena. Actually, they are acting almost  _ exactly _ like her and Lena.

Her blood runs cold as soon as that thought crosses her mind.

If they remind her of herself and Lena…what does that mean for the two of them? Are they fated (doomed, more like it) to end up hating each other (how? due to drifting apart?), only to make up down the line (way,  _ way _ down the line, she thought sadly), and only due to a spell?

…What if they never get the chance Gladstone and Donald are getting now? What if the two are only getting this chance due to Gladstone’s luck? What if she and Lena never get the chance to reconcile? She couldn’t take that thought.

What would she do if she didn’t have her best friend by her side?

As she’s thinking of this, Webby notices that Della’s gained a malicious look in her eyes, mixed with what looks to be…jealousy? She follows Della’s eyeline to see that she’s glaring a hole into Gladstone’s head, which is leaning on Donald’s shoulder.

Then another thought hits her.

What if…

What if it’s not her and Lena drifting apart that she has to worry about.

What if it’s one of her other friends getting jealous of the two’s relationship, and that person being willing to do anything- _ anything _ -to have one of them in their grasp?

That thought chills her more than any other thought does.


	7. Lena's POV

Lena’s POV

Lena has been around angry and jealous energy for so long, she likes to say that she has a sixth sense for it. Donald (her  _ dad _ , she has a  _ dad _ , he  _ adopted  _ _ her _ !) said that her sixth sense can come in handy in just about any situation. She beamed when he said he had the same thing.

But back to the present. Her sixth sense was going  _ wild _ . Someone in this clearing is  _ not _ happy with what is going on with her dad and Uncle Gladstone.

She looks around, until Webby nudges her a bit. She looks at her friend (that she likes more than she thinks?? she’s still trying to figure it out…), who jerks her head towards Della.

Lena looks over, just to almost automatically look away from the black masma of jealousy, and anger, and pure  _ hate _ that seems to be emanating from Della Duck. She wanted to throw up.

How can her dad not sense it? Usually he’s on top of-then she remembers from two weeks ago;

_ “What do you mean??” Lena asked, tilting her head to the side. _

_ “I mean, the sixth sense we both have doesn’t work on family with me. I once almost got double crossed by a family member because nothing set off my warning bells.” Dad explained calmly. _

Fuck, that’s right. He can’t sense it. She watched as Della looked at the brother, then her sons, then Uncle Scrooge. And back again.

Lena’s breath left her.

_ She doesn’t plan on adding her to her little horde.She plans on kicking her to the curb to have her idyllic lifestyle. _

_ She plans on getting rid of Lena’s first family, all for her selfish gain. _

That’s when Lena knew.

Della Duck is worse than Magica De Spell will ever be.


	8. Huey's POV

Huey’s POV

Huey has always felt like he needed to be the responsible one. I mean, Uncle Donald was always working to put food on the tables, to give them good-ish clothes, to have them be able to have their extra curriculars paid for, like Dewey’s dance lessons, Louie’s art supplies, and Huey’s own Jr. Woodchucks!

So, that left him in charge whenever the babysitter wasn’t there. Which was fine! It was!

But…when they were able to move into Uncle Scrooge’s estate, he was  _ elated _ . He could be an actual kid! Uncle Donald could rest! They could hang out more!!

But that didn’t happen. But he was okay with that. Huey loved different cultures and the idea of traveling, but they never had the money-until now. So he went to different places, and he learned a lot of things. It was a good life.

And then his mom- _ his mom! _ -came home. Which was great!

But Uncle Donald disappeared. And it took them a month and a crash landing on a small island to find him. And Huey got to see Uncle Fethry again. And Uncle Fethry was…well, he was  _ boring _ .

And that got Huey thinking.

Was he the boring one out of him and his siblings/cousins?

No…

Well, maybe.

Huey looked around to see Uncle Scrooge watching his Uncle Donald and Uncle Gladstone with a happy look in his eye.

Then he saw Uncle Fethry looking between the two and mom nervously.

Then he saw his mother. Whose face was the same, but it had a cloud over it that seemed to change all the angles of her face.

This was not the same mother who tucked him in last night after teasing Uncle Donald until he seemed to blow a vessel. No, this person was a jealous dog, ready and willing to do anything for the prize.

And unfortunately for Uncle Donald, he’s her prize.


	9. Dewey's POV

Dewey’s POV

Dewey has always been curious. Uncle Donald could attest. Hell, he once told all three of them of the time that Dewey had wondered what vanilla extract tasted like, so he had somehow gotten a hold of the bottle and took a chug, only to automatically throw it due to the taste.

So when he told Uncle Donald that he had tried to look for clues about his mom, Uncle Donald just laughed and nodded, saying, “You’re just like your mother in that sense. She couldn’t help but look for the next adventure as well.” He then proceeded to sit him and his brothers down, and tell them all about his sister.

Later, he pulled Dewey aside, and said, “She’d love all three of you, but I think she’d see herself most in you, Dewey.”

Dewey got so excited to hear that.

And then mom came home! Mom, the one person he didn’t know everything about (because of  _ course _ he knows everything about Uncle Scrooge, he’s never hidden anything from the public, and Uncle Donald wasn’t cool enough to have any secrets!) was there, in front of them, and mostly whole.

He could’ve had the name Turbo!

So he latched onto his mom, ignoring the little voice in his head that told him to not trust her, since  _ when was she there? Who helped you get your medicine for your ADHD? Who tucked you in at night? Who was there to take care of your nightmares? Who made your Halloween costumes by hand? Not Della Duck, that’s for sure. That was all Uncle Donald. _

But, he ignored it, and ignored it, and ignored it, until he couldn’t any longer. He ignored it until he was standing in front of his Uncle Donald, who was stuck on an island for a whole month- _ a whole month! _ -without anyone noticing besides Louie.

And maybe that’s why he ignored that voice, he mused, watching his Uncle Donald hug his Uncle Gladstone. Because Louie always seemed to be the one Uncle Donald watched out for the most.

Sure, he looked at Dewey himself or Huey with a fond and faraway look in his eyes, but when he looked at Louie…his eyes would fill with heartache and sadness.

And looking at how his Uncle Donald looked at Gladstone, Dewey finally understands that look he’d give Louie.

Dewey fisted his hand briefly, jealous of how much the family members in green get  _ his _ Uncle Donald’s attention, but then sighed quietly, and turned to Huey, who’s been nudging him gently.

“What?” Dewey whispered.

“Look at mom.” Huey hissed back, looking nervous.

Dewey turned, only to balk back. That’s…not his mom. That face is of someone who isn’t seeing Uncle Donald, but a treasure. A horde.

That’s the face of someone who will do anything to get what they want.

“You had something along the lines of that face on your face as well, I was worried.” Huey said, looking at him.

Dewey felt his stomach drop to his feet. He had that look?? That scary and possessive look?? On his face??

Oh no. Dewey felt his mind whirl.

How much like his mother is he?

How willing is he to break some people apart? He looks at his siblings.

…How much would he go through to make sure no one steals his brothers?

The answer he automatically got chilled him.

Because the answer he got was  _ anything _ .

…Dewey doesn’t know if he likes being told he’s most like his mother anymore.


	10. Donald's POV

Donald’s POV

Donald was holding Gladstone while thinking about how it came to this. He decided that it began at the very beginning.

Donald was always in Della’s shadow since they were 3. He was cursed with awful bad luck, and he always assumed that him being overshadowed was a part of it. He took it into stride, not minding too much most of the time.

But then...their mom and dad died when they were 5.

And suddenly, the two of them were forced to go live with an Uncle that they barely knew, and they met two other cousins that they didn’t know about.

But that’s when he met his Gladstone. His Glads, his Gladdy, his other half-literally, the two of them found out when they were 7. They were two halves of the same coin. Gladstone’s luck isn’t a blessing, it’s another curse.

The two of them got excited, especially Donald. A brother who understands what he’s going through at least a little? Even if it’s not in the same capacity? Yes please.

The two of them became closer, because who else could understand him better than Gladstone? No one, really. Sure, Della was his twin, but Gladstone was-is his other half, his soulmate.

And not in a gross way, but literally. When they found out they were two halves of a whole coin, that same scroll said that they were each other’s soulmate. They will never find anyone who will treat them the same way as they treated each other. Who will understand what they are going through other than each other.

So, the two hung out more. And more.

And it was  _ amazing _ . In Gladstone’s eyes, he was the world. And to Donald, Gladstone was the sun. They can’t live without each other.

And the best part? He wasn’t overshadowed-not on purpose.

Sure, there would be moments where Gladstone would be standing there, and he’d gain $20 or someone gives him something, while Donald got muddy or pushed over. But Gladstone would automatically be right by his side, cleaning him off or picking him up.

They dressed up in matching outfits for Halloween until…they stopped being Gladstone and Donald. One year they were Mario (himself) and Luigi (Gladstone), and the next, they were Link (Gladstone) and Zelda (himself). And he pulled off the dress perfectly. Gladstone said he did.

And then they turned 14, and joined public high school after Uncle Scrooge cracked under Della’s persistence.

Donald immediately hated it. Gladstone  _ despised _ it.

Donald was bullied for his voice and his horrible bad luck, and Gladstone was schmoozed up to in an attempt to get some of his amazing luck to rub off on them.

Unfortunately, Uncle Scrooge wouldn’t allow the two of them to go back to private school without Della and Fethry, both who  _ loved _ public school.

They were stuck. So, they decided to not allow too many people into their lives.

The only ones who were able to break through were Mickey, and Goofy.

Everything changed when they were 17.

Della came to him, saying that Gladstone,  _ Gladstone _ , was the one to tell his bullies about his insecurities about his voice.

So the two of them fought, and fought, and put each other in danger, they  _ left each other to  _ _ die _ , god, they were  _ awful _ to each other.

And until now, Donald was left wondering why his best friend, his  _ brother _ , would say the stuff he did, and he knows he said it, because  _ why would Della lie like that to him _ ?? His sister would  _ never _ lie to him! ...Right?

He casually looks over to his sister, who’s glaring at Gladstone like he wronged her.

… _ Right? _


	11. Gladstone's POV

Gladstone’s POV

Gladstone was _elated_ . He had his Don back. His big brother, his confidant, his other half. He had him _back_! Or, well, he is beginning to have him back. He was so happy.

He still has no idea how or why they got to what they were at until now. He thought back to when he met his ocean.

Gladstone lost his mom and dad around the same time as the twins did, and he showed up at the manor a week after they did.

Gladstone was immediately pulled into the riptide that is Donald almost immediately. Donald was just kind, attentive, and understanding of Gladstone’s sorrow.

Gladstone had nothing to grab onto, and just accepted that he was fated to drown in Donald’s care.

The two of them would do everything together, especially after they found the scroll that explained both of their curses.

They were supposed to get along this well. They were each other’s other half. Soulmates, essentially.

It was _amazing_.

They would do everything together. Donald taught him all of the constellations, while Gladstone taught him the difference between a peony and a germanium, because _yes Don_ , there _is_ a difference??

They were each other’s go-to. They had matching costumes.

They were the first people they came out to at the age of 15, with Donald coming out to Gladstone about being bisexual, and Gladstone tell Donald that he’s panromantic, both of them scared to tell anyone else.

And then they turned 17.

And Donald came to him, furious, asking why he’d _tell_ them that?! And every time Gladstone tried to ask him what’s wrong, his ocean would glare at him. _Him_!

And then they kept fighting, Donald refusing to listen, while Gladstone tried his best to try and get Donald to talk about it to him.

It never worked.

So, they split up after they moved out, hurting Gladstone since the two of them had talked about moving in together since they were 7.

Almost two whole decades of friendship, _brotherhood_ , gone, down the drain.

Gladstone stayed up for years, trying to figure out why the cousin he looked up to, who he _adored_ , just started to _hate him_? Why?

He once asked Della, and she said, “Well, maybe Donnie got tired of having to watch your good luck all the time.”

That made him _break_.

Donald? His sea? Hates his luck?

He…went down a dark road after that, ending up in the House of Lucky Fortune.

Then, Donald came to save him.

They still didn’t talk, but it was nice to see that Donald still _somewhat_ cared for him.

And then Della came back.

And his ocean disappeared, while no one did anything.

He looked, and looked, and even got Fethry into it, finally finding him, along with Della and the kids, on an island.

His luck found his ocean.

Then they had to fight, and the two of them were unable to talk.

Until now.

Gladstone sobbed again, burrowing his head deeper into Donald’s shoulder.

As Donald hushed him, and rubbed his back, Gladstone caught a glimpse of Della’s face.

And it all clicked.

Of course. She felt jealous. That’s why she broke them apart.

Gladstone made sure to make eye contact with her, and sent her a vicious glare, eyes glowing a poisonous green.

He is _not_ losing his ocean again.

And he will do _anything_ to make sure of it.

Della Duck will not win this.

Even if he has to tap into the full potential of his curse to make sure of it.


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue

Louie’s POV

Louie has always seen himself as a Gladstone in the world. But, he has always adored his Uncle Donald.

He was always told that he has to pick one or the other-be a Gladstone, or a Donald.

But...watching the two of them cuddle, and hug, and cry on each other, he realized something.

He never has to worry about being one side of the lucky coin or the other, both in luck, _and_ in happiness, but he can be the _full coin_.

He doesn't have to choose to be the lucky one who feels alone, nor does he have to be the horribly _un_ lucky one who feels like he's never enough, because there will always be a balance for him-even if he has to be his balance himself.

And that? That makes him smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Third Party POV

Huey and Dewey-who only see their mother in themselves, especially right now-are _crushed_.

Seeing Donald and Gladstone reconcile gets them thinking; who's going to be there for them when they're older?

Will they still be as close as they are now?

Or will they end up like the cousins are now, since they were told the four _used_ to be close.

Webby and Lena grab each other’s hands, looking at each other. They nod. They _have_ to talk.

As they all go home, Louie is happy with himself knowing his future will be bright.

Huey and Dewey are stuck, freaking out, wondering if one of them is going to go missing, just like Della, and leave the others in shambles.

They look at Lena and Webby, who nod, making them realise that those two are thinking along the same lines.

The four of them look to Louie, who’s watching the two ducks reconcile with a happy smile on his face, and they realise something.

Louie is their Donald.

They all get hit with the same thought.

They can’t lose him. Not like how the family lost Donald.

They have to protect him. No. Matter. What.

Louie will never be alone.

Unbeknownst to them, Fethry was watching them in growing horror, especially as he saw Huey, Dewey, and Lena’s eyes start to glow.

He knew that the cycle Gladstone and Donald got stuck in will continue, this time, with Louie.

And he is so, _so_ scared.


End file.
